Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-03-19
SCHOOL INTERESTS NO. II.

8. Tile teacher Osces it to himself and
his pupils to form correct habits and c,st-
tirdte good manners.
] have already, in a former commu-
nication, partially anticipated this
duty by stating that a teacher should
be, every inch of him, gentleman"
He teaches no less by example than
precept. The Latin adage EQUALS
rex tails grex holds good here, and
applied 10 this connection it means,
as the teacher so the school. He may
be good in arranging, orderly and
prompt in action, but he must not
fail to be gentlemanly in all his bear
ing. In no case should a teacher
allow himself the use of an improper
expression, or be guilty Of an action
which he would not wish his scholars
to copy. A teacher who is given to
any bad habit may expect to have
imitators, no matter what may be
his precepts to the contrary. Those
who have acquired the very question
able practice of using tobacco in any
form would do well to think of this
matter; and SO of any other bad habit
against which the youth ought to be
not only warned but protected.
4. 1t is the imperative duty OF every
teacher to take proper care of his heath.
1t is mistaken idea that some
people have, that person too weak
and delicate for manual labor will do
for a teacher. / claim that teacher
should be robust, or at least be in pos
session of a strong, vigorous constitu-
ton. and uniform good health. In
this calling, above all others, it is
necessary to have not only a sound
mind, but sound mind in sound
body. Health of body is essential to
vigor of mind, and without this a
teacher can only drag along at best,
and drag it will be both to himself
and his school. He should be care
full observer of natures laws with re-
gard to exercise, food, sleep, &c. He
has no right to violate these, as their
violation will not only affect him
directly, but indirectly all under his
care as well, because he will be incap-
able to do his whole duty. There are
many temptations in his way to cause
an Infringement of the laws of nature,
all of which should be guarded
against. Not that / would have
teachers enjoy less pleasure than
others, but surely no teacher can take
pleasure in any thing that is calculat-
ed to injure his health and conse-
quently his usefulness.
5. The teacher OtCes 1t 10 himself and
those under his care TO be industrious.
BY this / mean, not only industry
in the school-room but industry out Of
1t. When pupils have once entered
upon the study of Written Arithme-
tic. Geography, English Grammar
and still more advanced branches, no
teacher should enter the school-room
or pretend to hear recitation with
out having given the lessons sufficient
attention to hear them without un-
due reference to the textbook. This
profession is emphatically mind
work, and requires mental activity
and industry. Mental Incidence
breeds mental weakness and mental
poverty. Without diligence on the
part of the teacher, his instructions
| will soon become stale and uninterest-
ing. Hence the teacher must be a
hard student himself, otherwise his
pupils will soon lose respect for him,
for they will soon imagine that they
know as much as their teacher. Gold
smith indirectly attributes this quail
fication to his pedagogue, else he
could never have written of him and
| his admirers that:
"Still they gazed, and still the Won
der grew,
That one small head could carry all
he knew"
| The lazy teacher loses his power
to influence the mind in its acquisi-
tive and formative state. From term
to term he goes over the same old
beaten track, makes no advancement,
reads nothing, studies nothing, and is
profoundly ignorant of many things
| with which the diligent, persevering
one is acquainted. Soon he receives
what he deserves, the title of "old
fogy" in the reproachful sense of the
term. The nature of educational pro-
gress and advancement at the present
age is such that teacher must be an
| industrious student, keeping in ad.
vance of his classes in all the branches
| he teaches. He must read and study,
and by thus improving himself, he
will be better prepared to discharge
his duties. VIM. GERHARDT.